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Malifixer
“Silence yourself and count your heartbeats lest I end them. I’ll need a vat of bio-waste, some corpse starch, and at lot of rocrete. Oh, and I’ll need you to stop bleeding everywhere, it’s breaking my concentration.” –Artonias Scopralo, Agent of the Kasballica The criminal underworld in the Calixis Sector is by no means forgiving. It is a harsh, cruel existence punctuated by violence and the fleeting hope of a quick payoff. Organizations such as the Kasballica and the Beast House make their way on the backs of the poor, unfortunate individuals that they have collected into their ranks as much by desperation as by ambition or even simple greed. This is not to say that those lowly scum who make up the bulk of such criminal enterprises are not, themselves, enterprising and opportunistic. Indeed, while many lackeys of the Calixian underworld are broke-souled underdogs, they are matched by those who would seek only to better their lot, either through criminal advancement or by escaping the harsh life to which they were born. While the most cruel and brutal often rise through the ranks of their organization through sheer self-serving strength, others must play a more dangerous game, relying on their cunning and quick wits. An organization like the Kasballica or the Beast House is no simple matter. Indeed, most such organizations treat their membership as life-long, with no exceptions. A former comrade, once deep in the secrets and schemes of their enterprise now left out to the mercy of the wider world is a dangerous loose-end. For this reason, most who live deep within the criminal underground must work tirelessly to avoid the watchful eyes of the Enforcers or Adeptus Arbites. Instead of some protective agent or organization to shelter them, these lowly scum must take drastic measures when they falter, if they wish to save their lives and that of their organization. It is to this end that many criminal organizations employ a skilled Malifixer. Malifixers are men and women whose skills are broad, and their understanding of Imperial Law vast. They watch the Arbitrators and the Enforcers as closely as their organizations are watched; often living for years near the Calixian Precinct Fortresses, just observing. Some of the most talented Malifixers will even engineer attacks or plant information, leading investigators to rival criminal groups. The most skilled Malifixers are never caught, and may live their entire lives narrowly escaping execution. The Kasballica makes extensive use of Malifixers, using them to spy on their own organisation as well as their enemies. It is not unheard of for a Malifixer to live for years within a rival group only to turn on them at a vital moment, or deliver key evidence into the hands of the authorities. Once positioned securely within an organization, the Malifixer must simply watch and learn, reporting and interpreting what he sees to his superiors. Given the consequences should a Malifixer's true loyalty ever be discovered by his comrades in crime, only the most dedicated and skilful agents ever survive for long enough to be of any true use. Those who do survive become masters at the art of deception and observation, able to willingly perform any deed their criminal masters demand, all the while keeping watch on those around them for a key piece of information. As they are criminals themselves, Malifixers already possess abundant resources and connections within the Calixian underworld. Cultivating these contacts is one of the key tools in their arsenal, as they serve as an extension of the Malifixer's ability to make problems go away. These contacts can prove useful in other ways as well. Mainly, should the Arbites' eyes and ears be trained on an organisation, these underworld contacts can prove invaluable. When a Malifixer is captured, he often spends years being interrogated, his vast knowledge of the underworld making him a resource worth a dozen lives. On more than one occasion, a Malifixer has not been executed, but instead given a chance to earn "penance" in service of the Inquisition, turning his skills against those he previously aided and uncovering secrets so terrible that they threaten his sanity. '"Taking Care" of Their Own' While rare in the Calixis Sector, those criminal syndicates that do exist are extremely professional. They know that operating beneath the notice of the Adeptus Arbites' is imperative to their success. The Kasballica in particular conduct themselves as honest businessmen and nobility at all times. They operate their less reputable ventures through middle men, keeping their hands as clean as possible. It is a common saying that the Kasballica "Takes Care of Their Own." While this is certainly a promise to protect and support each other, it is also a threat. If an operative draws too much attention to himself, it is far easier to execute him and let the Enforcers deal with the body. More than one Kasballica operative has let his guard down when a Malifixer comes to "take care of it." Assuming the Malifixer is there to help, this unacceptable risk finds the barrel of a stub pistol in the back of his head instead of advice on how to elude capture. This is not uncommon for many of the organizations that make use of Malifixers, they are known for their ruthless professionalism, and an in-house hit isn't much of a stretch of their skills. 'Alternate Career Rank' While many criminals would consider the idea of courting capture by the Adeptus Arbites insane, those who have a quick mind and little to lose face a slightly better prospect. No two Malifixers come to the task from the same path. Some begin their lives as low level functionaries who discover additional income or pleasures by taking bribes or offering services. Others are simply intelligent criminals able to think on their feet and escape capture. Still others are trained by Malifixers to follow in their footsteps, providing their valuable service to a criminal enterprise. Most rarely, are those trained by the Inquisition to serve the role as a part of an Acolyte cell, their knowledge of the underworld and fast thinking an asset to those who must survive for months in the underhive. Required Careers: Scum Alternate Rank: Rank 3 or higher (1,000 XP) Requirements: Peer (Underworld)